Kojima’s secret about OD
The Silent Development of Hideo Kojima’s OD
Despite the persistent silence surrounding his latest project, Hideo Kojima continues to work on his upcoming horror game, OD. On a recent appearance on his radio show Koji10, Kojima admitted that the details of the game remain a complete mystery, even as production continues. The lack of promotional updates since the game was first announced in 2023 is noted, but Kojima insists that the silence is intentional; he intends to keep the project quiet until release.
Kojima confessed that the lack of publicity was somewhat unusual for him, noting that he typically releases teasers as part of the promotional cycle. He explained that while the promotion has been subdued, the development itself is moving forward with dedicated focus.
The journey to bringing OD to life has certainly involved some unexpected bumps in the road. The development schedule was impacted by the Screen Actors Guild strike, which extended over a year. Even with this pause, the production team managed to continue shooting since June, with plans to carry the work through the end of the year. This complex scheduling involved a creative workaround: the team utilized stand-in performances, which, while necessary, proved to be a significant amount of demanding work to replace.
Fortunately, Kojima confirmed that development did not halt entirely during the strike, as the team was actively developing the game while the physical shooting was underway. Furthermore, behind the scenes, the technical work continued; the complex process of automated dialogue replacement, or dubbing, is slated to carry over into 2027, showcasing the intricate production timeline involved.
The casting and collaboration elements also reveal layers of the project’s history. Kojima reflected on the involvement of veteran actor Udo Kier, who was set to star in the game. Kier, an icon who passed away last year at the age of 81, had genuinely looked forward to the project. Though Kojima did not detail how his prior work with Kier would be incorporated, he mentioned participating in a three-day scan with co-star Hunter Schafer, adding to the rich tapestry of talent involved in the development.
Beyond the casting, Kojima touched upon the technical innovations that define the game’s world. He expressed admiration for how Xbox utilized Physint in the development, acknowledging that it was impressive considering that Xbox was among the few publishers who did not dismiss Kojima’s initial pitch as being “crazy.” It seems the journey of OD is not just about horror and high-concept storytelling, but also about navigating complex production hurdles and pioneering new technological landscapes.
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